Those who apply for a mid-term Team Member assignment will be considering a 2- or 3-year term overseas. The IMB has mid-term opportunities that are fully funded by the IMB and non-funded by the IMB.

Long-term Team Member

Those who apply for a long-term Team Member assignment will be considering a minimum 3-year term overseas, with the intent to continue beyond the first term. All long-term Team Member roles are fully funded by the IMB.

Team Member Qualifications and Preclusions

All Team Members, whether funded by the IMB or their sending church, become full employees of the IMB. As IMB employees, there are some basic requirements:

Residency or citizenship: IMB applicants must be either U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a 10-year green card.

Church membership: An applicant must be a member of a Southern Baptist church

Health and wellness: For fully-funded Team Members, healthcare is provided and therefore there are some health considerations prior to application:

Applicants should have a body mass index (BMI) of 33 or less.

Due to the unique challenges presented by overseas service, applicants and family members should be free from certain conditions/illnesses:

In order to attend IMB training and orientation, Virginia law requires that all children be up to date on their immunizations according to the CDC schedule.

Finances: For fully-funded Team Members there is a maximum amount of debt that is sustainable while serving overseas. The requirements are as follows:

For mid-term: Singles should have no more than $75 per month debt payment, while couples should have no more than $125 per month debt.

For long-term: No more than $1,500 in credit card debt/unsecured debt, education loan payments of $200 per month or less, with a preferred total amount below $20-25,000. This debt level must be reached by the time of approval.

Lifestyle: Applicants should exhibit a life of sexual purity, including having at least one year of abstinence from pornography before starting an assignment. Other related areas of sexual purity are also considered and addressed.

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